How To Get Closer to God Spiritually

Have you ever wondered what it would look like to have an intimate relationship with Christ? Are you craving deep spiritual growth but don’t know where to start?
God is worthy of our time investment and we should prioritize our relationship with Him just like we prioritize our friendships.
Of course, these ways to deepen your relationship with Him shouldn’t be a checklist to follow, but getting to know Him on a more intimate level will bring you joy, strengthen your spiritual walk and grow close to God.
When we become Christians, God wants us to bear fruit by leading more people to Christ. In order to do that, we have to know the God we serve and that means we have to lean into our faith and build a strong connection to God.
3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
John 15:3-4
Our ability to have a relationship with God is a free gift and will last a lifetime, so it’s okay to start small and take a step every day. There are 168 hours in a week—prioritize just a few of those hours to spending time alone with Him. My goal is to provide easy ways to help you strengthen your relationship with God.
[elementor-template id=”10291″]1. Humble Yourself Before The Lord
The first step you can take to get closer to God is to give up control. Admit that you need and depend on Him. Jesus was the son of God and He made a point to humble himself before His Father.
5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!
Philippians 2:5-8
By humbling yourself, you remove yourself from the throne of your life and acknowledging that He is in control.
2. Read the Bible
Reading and studying the Bible is so important. We can’t become like Christ if we don’t read God’s living word. The more time you spend in scripture and allow the Holy Spirit to guide you, the more opportunities you’ll have to hear God’s wisdom and guidance for your life.
16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16-17
Underline or highlight verses and passages that speak to you and use them as encouragement for the future. If you’re more of an audio learner, you can listen to the Bible. There are several apps you can try like Dwell or Streetlights.
Related: How To Read The Bible In 90 Days
3. Pray
Prayer is a simple yet powerful conversation between you and God and if you make prayer a priority, it will knit your heart closer to God. In fact, Jesus modeled prayer for us often in scripture…
6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Matthew 6:6
Another thing to consider is keeping a prayer journal. Write down your thoughts on a daily or weekly basis. You can document your prayer requests and record the answered prayers as they come. I love my prayer journal from Val Marie Paper. It helps me prioritize prayer and make spending time alone with God a priority.
4. Get Involved in Your Local Church
God asks us to do three simple things as Christians: love others, serve others, and unite with other believers. The best way to do all of these is to get involved at church. Look into your church’s fellowship programs and join a small group or attend a weekly bible study. Having a group of people support you and pray for you during your journey with God is such a blessing.
Serving is another great way to strengthen your relationship with Him. It can be something easy like being a front door greeter. All you have to do is smile, say good morning and open the door for others. If you feel led to teach, the children’s ministry or youth group are always looking for volunteers.
5. Find a Community of Believers
In addition to your church group, find a community of believers that can encourage and support you outside of the church. Maybe it’s a group of co-workers that you trust to pray for you during a tough work week. Or maybe it’s the group of moms at soccer practice or gymnastics.
If you don’t have a community of like-minded Christian women already, join our Facebook group! We are all striving to pursue an intentional life that glorifies Christ.
[elementor-template id=”10291″]6. Start a Devotional
God can reach us in many different ways. Find a devotional that translates God’s wisdom and guidance into a new and profound meaning while providing real-life application. There are thousands of devotionals to choose from, but we’ve made it easy and picked our top 15 here.
Related: 15 Best Daily Devotionals For Women
7. Memorize Scripture
Spending time in the word is important, but memorizing the verses you’re reading provides a deeper level of understanding God’s word. We can follow by Jesus’ example—He knew scripture by heart and quoted it often. Not only will this help you grow closer to God, but you can use it to serve others when they need some spiritual uplifting.
The Verses app is an awesome tool for Bible memorization. It allows you to play short games to help you learn scripture. Plus, there is a free version available!
If you’d like to give this app a try, download on iOS or Google Play.
Related: 11 Best Bible Study Apps For Women Who Want To Grow In Faith
8. Seek Wise Counsel
Spending time with Christians who are further along in their walk with God is a great way to grow closer to Him. Turn to someone you trust for guidance and encouragement like your pastor or a Christian mentor.
I’m part of a group called “Heart Moms” and we meet once a month to eat and fellowship together. The group is led by moms that are empty-nesters and they serve and support younger sisters in Christ. It’s a wonderful group to be a part of and I know they have my best interest at heart.
Check to see if there’s a similar program in your area. If you can’t find an organized group, get the advice from a Christian who is older and wiser than you!
9. Listen To Worship Music
I always feel closer to God while listening to Christian music. Whether it’s in the car or just doing the dishes in the kitchen, there’s something about worshipping through song. Take time to really listen to the lyrics.
This also goes hand in hand with reading your Bible—many Christian song lyrics stem from Bible verses. Need some recommendations? Check out our post about upbeat Christian music.
10. Switch To Wholesome TV Shows & Movies
Many of us have shows that we consider a guilty pleasure—a reality TV show or a series on Netflix that we’re binge-watching. Take a break from your normal TV routine and switch to clean wholesome shows and movies. Check out Christian-based streaming services like PureFlix or Crossflix. You could also get the kids’ involved by switching to Christian cartoons.
Related: Best Christian Cartoons For Kids
11. Rest
Even God took a day to rest after creating the world. He took a break on the 7th day (Sunday) and instructs us to keep that day holy, otherwise called the Sabbath. We can create a deep level of intimacy with God by just obeying His command about rest.
One of the biggest examples of how rest is pleasing to God is the story of Mary & Martha. Jesus and his disciples came to a village and met the two sisters. Mary sat at Jesus’ feet and listened to his teachings, but Martha was distracted and bothered that Mary wasn’t helping her do any work. Here is what Jesus said in response:
41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
Luke 10:41-42
12. Fasting
Fasting is beneficial for so many things, but most importantly it brings clarity to your mind. It encourages the truth of God’s word to be revealed to you.
It’s also a biblical way to humble yourself before God. As mentioned in Matthew, Mark and Luke, Jesus fasted and prayed for 40 days before beginning God’s work on earth. This is where the devil tempts Him many times, but He never wavers and quotes scripture to defend Himself against Satan’s attacks.
13. Eliminate Distractions
Have you ever gone a whole weekend without internet or cell service? Maybe it was during a camping trip or a church retreat. It’s amazing how putting away distractions can bring you closer to God. Walk away from things that are currently separating you from Him and find a quiet spot to rest in His presence.
Your Turn
What are some other ways you spend time with God to grow spiritually? Let me know in the comments!